OSSAA Imposes No Further Penalties On Booker T. Washington

Booker T. Washington will not see any further penalties from the Oklahoma Secondary School Athletic Association.

During executive session Wednesday, the board also voted to accept all of the BTW penalties Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard recommended to the O.S.S.A.A.

“The fact of the matter is the rules weren’t followed and that the penalties had to be imposed,” said TPS athletic director and OSSAA board president Dr. Stephanie Spring.

NewsOn6.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – Booker T. Washington will not see any further penalties from the Oklahoma Secondary School Athletic Association. During executive session Wednesday, the board also voted to accept all of the BTW penalties Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard recommended to the O.S.S.A.A.

“Whether you say you did or didn’t know the rules, the rules were violated. Regardless of intent, regardless of lack of knowledge, it doesn’t matter,” said TPS athletic director and OSSAA board president Dr. Stephanie Spring. “The fact of the matter is the rules weren’t followed and that the penalties had to be imposed.”

A Tulsa Public Schools investigation revealed Booker T. had violated state recruiting and residency rules. Five football players and one softball player were ruled ineligible. About a week later, TPS also discovered Booker T. didn't check grades to make sure athletes were eligible to participate for four weeks.

That meant 37 more Hornets in four sports - softball, volleyball, cross country and football -participated when they shouldn't have. Academic ineligibility will strip the Hornet volleyball team of a regional championship.

And 16 ineligible athletes played in one football game earlier this month.

“We were constantly saying, ‘oh my gosh, what’s the next thing we can find?’ Because we didn’t anticipate anything beyond what the initial phone call,” said Kevin Burr, TPS High School Superintendent.